Vandals leave elderly on edge at complex

Wednesday

Apr 10, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Linda Bock TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Residents of an elderly housing authority complex on North Quinsigamond Avenue were on edge and fearful Tuesday, the day after the tires of numerous vehicles were slashed and a Catholic nun’s car in the parking lot was set on fire.

A resident reported that a suspicious man also tried to get into the complex through a rear door near the handicapped parking spaces Monday night until a resident shouted at him to get out.

“I’m upset,” said Susan Russell, a tenant. “This is unbelievable.”

Police received a report of a suspicious man in the area of the parking lot about 8:30 Monday night.

While police searched for the man, they discovered that tires on at least 16 vehicles had been slashed. All four tires were slashed on one of the vehicles.

Police also investigated a number of apparently related mass tire slashings and vehicle arsons at two neighboring apartment complexes on Monday night and Tuesday. The incidents came just a few days after a vandal slashed tires on seven other vehicles at one of the complexes.

“The nun’s car was in the handicapped spaces,” Ms. Russell said. She said she cannot understand why cameras have not been installed to monitor the parking lot. She said cameras were installed in the lobby of the eight-story Shrewsbury Tower at 36 North Quinsigamond Ave. “Most definitely I want cameras out here.”

Police said on Tuesday that no arrests have been made in connection with the recent rash of vandalism and vehicle arsons in town.

“They missed one tire,” said Pat Alex, a resident who shook her head as she surveyed the three slashed tires on her 1998 Dodge van. She was tying to figure out how she was going to get her tires repaired or replaced because she needed her van today.

Sue Hiller also lives in the building and spent the afternoon in the garden getting it ready for spring planting.

“This is extremely upsetting. A lot of people here are on fixed incomes and can’t afford new tires,” Ms. Hiller said. “These are old people and they’re very upset about that. ... And then they torch the sister’s car. A nun of all people.”

Another Shrewsbury Tower resident, Kenneth Burdett, found out about 7 Tuesday morning that two tires on his Jeep Cherokee were slashed. He was happy to see Jason Glidden and Mark Gjeltema of Pete’s Tire Barns in Shrewsbury. The pair put on spare tires for several residents Tuesday afternoon.

“He’s got an air compressor on the truck right now,” Mr. Burdett said. “He didn’t charge me. He was kind enough to do it.”

Mr. Burdett said he was going to get price quotes for tires from the tire company as he was debating what to do. He said he has lived in the complex for about a year and a half, and this was the first vandalism that he had heard of.

Early Tuesday morning, two vehicles were set on fire at Shrewsbury Green Apartments, 35 Quinsigamond Ave., down the street from the elderly housing complex on the other side of Route 9 across from the Shaw’s market in White City.

Friday morning, the tires of seven vehicles at Shrewsbury Green were slashed, according to police.

Shrewsbury Fire Chief James M. Vuona said police and fire officials are taking the vandalism and arson incidents very seriously. Chief Vuona said the state fire marshal’s office also is investigating.

“We’re asking people to be vigilant,” Chief Vuona said. “If you saw anything, call the police.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Michael McGinnis at (508) 841-8436.